Personal Fireworks Should Be Banned

In a blog on July 5th,  I asked whether personal fireworks should be banned, noting the huge array of negative impacts.

There was a lot support for doing so, and some of the emails and calls I received were disturbing and emotional.

Two combat veterans called, describing their terror from the concussive sounds in the night.  They told me they were not alone.

I heard from a woman who lost her dog, who had been shaking from fear and hiding in a closet beforehand.

I got an emotional call from a woman whose mother was dying of Alzheimers and was in terror of the explosions, unable to understand their cause.

And I am tired of reading stories of maimed children, destroyed homes, and even a father killed in front of his kids--all due to fireworks.

On July 5th, I was walking my dog at Seattle's Magnuson Park when some teenagers started shooting off rockets in the kite hill parking lot, almost hitting a mother and her kids.

Folks, it is time to end this madness, to make personal fireworks illegal, to seriously enforce this ban, and to leave the pyrotechnics to community displays run by professionals.

The historical perspective

John Adams, in a letter to his wife Abigail, suggested that independence should bring great celebrations "solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other..."

And he was not disappointed.  Americans celebrated their independence with large bonfires, cannonade, and volleys from a variety of firearms, with nearly all the action limited to communal celebrations.

The 19th century brought expansion of the celebrations, including increased use of individual fireworks and firearm use.  As a result, the there was a huge expansion of death, injury, and damage, so much so that the American Medical Association and  insurance companies, among others, pushed for restriction of personal displays and more stress on public fireworks and patriotic gatherings. Major restrictions on personal fireworks, fires, and small arms fire was put in place during the early 20th century, and the reductions in deaths and injuries were stunning (see below).   From 466 killed in 1903 to 20 dead in 1912.   

In the 1930s, the Depression resulted in a reduction of public displays and the use of personal fireworks increased.   By the 1950s and early 1960s, increased firework use and a much larger population resulted in a rapid increase in injuries and fires.  The result was a movement towards "safe and sane" fireworks, with smaller explosive charges and restrictions by a number of states.

Recently, there has been a surge in fireworks use, with several states dropping restrictions and a massive increase in imports from China.    Furthermore, "improvements" resulted in louder explosions.     An issue has been the loss of control of fireworks sales in several states and the availability of less "sane" explosives due to unrestricted sales occurring at Native American "boom cities."

Patriotism

I put it to you--is it patriotic to explode loud personal fireworks, when they terrorize or discomfort our combat veterans...the individuals to whom we owe so much?  I don't think so.

Is it patriotic to purchase a product from a foreign nation (China) that pollutes our air, injures at least 10,000 of our citizens a year, burns down thousand of homes or buildings, and sets aflame vast areas of our nation?   In another time, this might be considered an act of war.  In fact, the Japanese tried to do this during WWII using balloon bombs.

Let's be honest, most folks are not shooting off fireworks due to patriotic fervor but rather thrill seeking and entertainment.

Injuries and deaths

Official government statistics indicate that about 10,000 citizens end up at the emergency rooms from fireworks-related injuries, and this is surely undercounting the numbers affected.  Typically, there are around a dozen deaths and hundreds of terrible injuries, including loss of eyesight and blown off fingers or hands. Thousands are burned.  The overwhelming majority of injuries are to young people (see figure below), with 40% of the injuries affecting children of 14 and under.

Non-enforcement and disrespect for the Law

Currently, personal fireworks are banned in a number of Washington State cities, such as Seattle and Bellevue.  But police are not enforcing the ban and if they do catch someone, they just confiscate the fireworks.   Here is a quote (from an article in the Stranger):

Enforcement of firework use is difficult. In order for the Seattle Police Department to give out a citation, they pretty much have to witness someone “holding a match to a firework,” says SPD Detective Patrick Michaud.
“So it becomes extremely difficult for us to get out there and respond in time,” Michaud said, adding that SPD might be able to catch someone lighting up “if we’re lucky.”

Just amazing.

Can you imagine any criminal activity that is EASIER to locate than setting off fireworks?  Big booms, bright lights, screaming sounds and rocket bursts in the air?   How many bank robbers would be caught if they blared loud sounds and bright lights when they were making their heists?   The police are deliberately not enforcing the law and thousand of folks are breaking the law and no one seems to care....this is not a good civics lesson.  It teaches disrespect for the rule of law and cynicism about law enforcement.

I am not suggesting that the police send an army out there and arrest hundreds of people.  But making a clear statement that the law would be enforced, followed by a few hundred citations with a substantial financial penalty would sober folks up rapidly.

Wildfires

What day has more wildfires initiated than any other?    You guessed it...July 4th (see figure below).

According to government statistics, thousands of fires are caused by fireworks each year, involving hundreds of thousands of acres.  Probably not what John Adams was hoping for.

Air pollution

Fireworks seriously pollute the air, endangering folks with lung and heart issues.  In some areas of our state, air quality declines to Beijing levels on the evening of the 4th and July 5th.  Here is a plot of the amount of small particles (the kind that go deep into your lungs) for Tacoma over the past month.  HUGE July 4/5 spike.   Very unhealthy.  Fireworks can and have triggered serious asthma attacks.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend at the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.   He felt that personal fireworks were much more of a problem for surface air quality.  First, there is more personal fireworks (in terms of amount of material exploded) and personal fireworks are set off at/near the ground, in contrast to the big public displays that send their projectiles high into the air.  And the degradation starts before the official fireworks. Thus, personal fireworks are the main origin of air degradation.  And particles are not the only issue--many fireworks are laced with heavy metals and dangerous chemical (e.g.,  perchlorate).

Terrifying our pets and animal friends

What day of the year do you think the greatest number of pets run away and are lost?  July 4th.  I have had dogs and cats and when the explosions start, their terror and fear are obvious.

So what should be done?

It is time to deal with personal fireworks.   And in my mind, a statewide ban is the best approach. 

 One starts with forbidding sales and use on all non-tribal lands.  And then we ask our native american friends to stop sales on all tribal lands.  Protecting the environment and the land is deeply embedded in native american culture and values.  Surely selling devices that burn our forests and rangelands, pollutes our air, and degrades our waterways (with all the plastics and fireworks-related chemicals) is something they would want to stop.   If not, we could express our displeasure by avoiding their casinos.

Some states have been highly creative in dealing with fireworks.  For example, Hawaii passed a law requiring a license and was only available to adults.   Fireworks use collapsed.

Perhaps one of our political leaders would be willing to take this on.   If not, a community-based group could be formed to lobby the legislature or even or push for an initiative.  There are a lot of environmentally concerned folks in our area....perhaps they will consider giving this issue some priority.

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Addendum:  Personal Freedom

Several folks opposed a fireworks ban based on the idea of personal freedom.   But there is a difference of a vice that harms only you and one that hurts others.  Fireworks hurt others.  The pollution hurts others.  The fires it causes burns others homes down.  The noise hurts the weak and traumatized.  Etc.   Freedom is important, but one does not have the freedom to harm others.  Smoking is legal, but you can not smoke in a public place where others will be harmed.

And should minors have the "freedom" to purchase and use fireworks?   We deny a 12-year old the freedom to drive a car...that is ok.  Because minors don't have the judgement yet for dealing with the responsibilities and consequences of their actions.   But it is fine for them to use fireworks that can destroy theirs or others lives?